Bereavement
Dealing with the death of a loved one is never easy. The Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Washington present the following listing of people and organizations in the Washington area that offer help to the bereaved.
- The Bereavement Program
- MIS Support Group
- Rainbows for All God’s Children
- Post Cana
- Parish Program: St. Pius X Parish, Bowie, Maryland
- Parish Program: St. Matthias Apostle Parish, Lanham, MD/Holy Family Parish, Mitchellville, MD
- Parish Program: St. Raphael Catholic Church, Rockville, Maryland
The Bereavement Program
Parish and Hospital-based bereavement support groups,for individuals
and families grieving from a death loss.
Contact: Sr. Clarisse Ballenger, SSA, EdD
301-754-7742
The program consists of eight consecutive Wednesday evening meetings which are held at 9805 Dameron Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (across the street from Holy Cross Hospital) from 5:30-7 p.m., and are free of charge.
MIS Support Group
MIS is a community-based support network founded in 1981 to offer information,
support, and comfort to grieving parents who have experienced the loss
of their baby during pregnancy or after birth.
Contact: Mrs. Cubby LaHood
301-681-5784
For recorded information about MIS and subsequent pregnancy support
groups, call:
301-460-6222
Healthcare professionals who are interested in MIS services for their patients, please call the clinical coordinator, Harriet Dolinsky, L.C.S.W.: 703-471-0744
Meetings: first Thursday of every month, 7:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Hospital, third Thursday of every month, 7:30 p.m. at St. Raphael’s Parish, Rockville, MD.Please call ahead to reserve a space.
Rainbows for All God’s Children
This is an internationally-based grief support program for children.
The program is run by volunteers through a parish or school.
Contact: Ms. Nancy Iden
301-229-6815
Fax: 301-229-0040
www.rainbows.org
Post Cana
Lives change dramatically after the death of a spouse. These Social
and Spiritual support groups for widows and widowers meet locally throughout
the Archdiocese.
Contact: Mary Jo Rodgers
301-365-9075
Parish Program: St. Pius X Parish, Bowie,
Maryland
St. Pius X offers a bereavement program for families of people
who have died, meeting every Monday evening over a nine to ten week
period during the winter months. Sr. Kathleen meets individually with
bereaved people over the summer months.
Contact: Sr. Kathleen McPeak, SSJ
301-262-0660
Parish Program: St. Matthias Apostle
Parish, Lanham, MD/Holy Family Parish, Mitchellville, MD
These parishes have joint bereavement/grief support meetings that meet
weekly.
Contact: Mirian Jacik
301-345-6045
Parish Program: St. Raphael Catholic
Church, Rockville, Maryland
Living with Loss Bereavement Program
www.straphaels.org/social_concerns.htm
Contact: Ursula Boesch 301-762-7134
or Carolyn Huard at 301-881-7456
email: livingwithloss@gmail.com
For more information about bereavement programs in your area, please contact:
Office for Family Life Ministry
Archdiocese of Washington
301-853-4546
Fax: 301-853-7660
